Gili Trawangan

@Truth Addict Detached from what? @Inliytened1 I mean that solipsism from the point of view of the ego can result in treating others poorly. After all, I am the only one here, right? The very mentioning of solipsism is dangerous, because even if you have realized Truth the ego is still operating in you. An ego with the delusion that he is God is dangerous. And I'm afraid that's what it was beginning to sound like around here and that's what led me to write the post to begin with.

@Truth Addict Of course it matters. Just listen to what you're saying. It matters precisely because of the way we decide to treat others. I for one do not wish to become a psychopath.

Yeah this is what happened to me. It does make sense from that perspective, I would not be so cool with abstinence nowadays had I not had lots of experience and had I not learned for myself that sex is no big deal.

@Leo Gura Honestly, this doesn't work for me. I used to do exactly what you "prescribed" lots of sex would take away the "hunger" for maybe a couple of days, but then it would come back with a vengeance, stronger than ever. Feeding that hunger became a full time job. I guess people are just different, for me the tendency is to become addicted and unbalanced. That's why I'm having better results with longer periods of abstinence, together with yoga and meditation.

@Shadowraix Yes, I believe this is what's happening. I took the original sense of the word, where it is ego-based. As in, there is only this experience, there is only this ego, everything else is illusion. I get from @Leo Gura 's answer that what he means by solipsism is that there is, from an absolute perspective, only one mind. This changes the original meaning of solipsism, though, and I think it's good to make that distinction. In fact, I wouldn't use that word at all, but hey that's just me... maybe it is the most fitting word for someone who has experienced it. It is a mindblowing notion that has made my ego spin for the last few hours. I'll have to "see" it for myself somehow...

Like someone said above, it is unfalsifiable. Which doesn't make it true. Are you using this line of questioning for everything anybody ever says? All you have is your own experience. It just so happens that I have mine as well. And that's how we're exchanging messages with each other on this forum. Are you an unexisting bot? Are you an illusion here just for MY benefit? This, MY EGO'S benefit? Didn't think so... Solipsism is simplistic and silly.

@Shadowraix Honestly I didn't get it, too cryptic for me

What winterknight said is good advice. However, if for some reason you are unable to get psychoanalytic therapy, I think you should start listening to your own intuition. Not your thoughts, but your intuition, what some people refer to as your Higher Self. It is this deep sense of groundedness that isn't connected to neurotic thoughts. Follow that intuition and don't look back, trust that everything will be alright. It will!

@Hellspeed What to do about it?

@Leo Gura I'm not self-realized, so I can admit that from an absolute perspective you may even be right. I don't know. However, it dangerously sounds like zen devilry.

This sentence makes no sense. If actual death means that you don't come back, then it is indeed impossible, it's right there in your definition. In reality there are cases when the body dies and then it miraculously comes back to life. People who go through it report experiences that are mystical in nature.

I wasn't talking about myself, really. I was responding to what you said earlier. We seem to have a misunderstanding here

I don't understand the question.

@Aldo It's not true that no one has ever come back from actual death. NDEs are all put in the same basket, but: in some cases people get near death, yes. In other cases people are clinically dead, sometimes for 2, 3 or more minutes and then are revived or come back. We shouldn't dismiss these people's experiences, I once saw a video on YouTube of a scientist who had a real NDE and it changed her view of reality forever. She also didn't want to come back, despite having small children and a loving family.

What if the need is sex itself? The specific pleasure of sex. I don't see why there would have to be any other underlying "hidden" need...

@Shin I would be very interested in reading further about what you wrote here. Especially the part about being able to control your sexual urges.

@Joker_Theory The way I do it is to breathe naturally and observe the breath at the point of entry of the nostril. It shouldn't matter whether it's the left or right nostril, or both. Don't control the breath, just concentrate on that point in the nostril. The breath will slow down by itself, making it harder and harder to focus on the point of entry. That's the point, keep going back to that point and you will be building your concentration. The goal is to stay as long as possible focused on that point.

@who chit Thanks, that makes sense, however paradoxical. @winterknight @winterknight Thanks, indeed the challenge will be to self-inquire all the time. There are times when I do it a lot, but other times the ego resists, it's tiring (or so says the ego). It'll have to be a gradual process, I guess.

@Preetom Some understanding must come eventually, otherwise what would be all the fuss about enlightenment?

@Preetom In that case, I just don't know what everyone around here is always talking about being God, being infinite... They talk as if reality is understood, entirely. That's just not my experience and I have to admit it would be rather disappointing to the ego if no metaphysical questions were ever answered.

@winterknight Great text!! I found it tremendously useful. I do have a question. I have been at that place where there is an incredible sense of peace and once that happens there are no questions to be asked, indeed. However, I can say that there is peace there, but not clarity. When the mind comes back I don't know anything more about reality than I did before. I don't understand what happened. There is no realization, there is only peace. It just doesn't answer any questions, what the heck am I? Will some kind of revelation come once I'm able to stay there longer?

@mandyjw Do you mind me asking what was the insight?

What about the role that caffeine addiction plays? I'm not able to get through the day without coffee because I'm addicted. It would take me at least a week to drop the addiction and I can't afford to lose an entire week so I just keep taking it. Plus I enjoy it

@Mikael89 It doesn't sound like you're in a position to be picky. But hey, more power to you.

Wonderful!